Tag Archives: Michael Westray

It's Signing Day for Duke Football! Coach Cutcliffe and the Blue Devils officially will welcome the class of 2012 into the Duke family today. BDN has all the coverage, including Mark Watson live at Coach Cutcliffe's afternoon press conference.

The 2011 Duke Football season is behind us. It's time to look forward to the future, and that begins with the class of 2012. Duke has already secured 15 verbal commitments in this class, and BDN will profile each of the newest Blue Devils as we head toward Signing Day 2012.

Senior season recap: We finished 8-3 and made it to second round of playoffs. I thought that we had enough talent to win the championship, but I'm proud that we fought hard. I was voted to 2 All Star games. My coaches stressed State Championship and team first so I never really tracked stats. I played CB, Safety, RB, WR, and Punter.

Scholarship offers: Duke, N.C. State, and Liberty

Commitment to Duke: I chose Duke for the opportunity to get a great education, play in the ACC against the great competition, the family atmosphere, and a defense that I'm excited to be a part of.

Considering other schools: No

Academic interests: Computer Science

Pro or College Role Models: I’ve heard comparisons to Laron Landry and Antonio Cromartie.

College goals: Obtain my degree, help the team win championships, avoid serious injuries, and leave as a better player and person.

Planned enrollment: No set date yet. I'll coordinate with admissions and the coaches.

Message to Duke fans: I can't wait to get on campus. I look forward to spending my next 4 years at Duke and being a part of the community. Go Duke!

BDN Scouting Report: Westray will join fellow Westlake alum Jon Woodruff in Durham next year, and both will be looking to make an impact on the defensive side of the ball. A high-end athlete, Westray played all three phases for Westlake, but will likely find a home at safety in Durham. He has an excellent nose for the ball and showed good instincts against the run. He will need to improve his footwork and coverage skills, but possesses good lateral agility and quickness. As a fundamentally-sound tackler and disciplined defender, Westray has the potential to develop into an excellent safety in Jim Knowles' defense.

Safety prospect Michael Westray became the 13th member of Duke's class of 2012

When you're the head coach of an ACC football program, it can be hard to get away. Duke Head Coach David Cutcliffe knows the feeling, as he and his family have been on vacation this past week, while his phone has continued to ring with prospects wanting to commit to the Blue Devils. On Saturday, Coach Cutcliffe received the good news from Michael Westray, a 6'2" 185 pound safety prospect from Westlake HS in Waldorf, Maryland. Duke fans should be familiar with the Westlake program, as it is also the alma mater of freshman Duke LB Jon Woodruff. After playing primarily defensive line at Westlake, Woodruff is making the transition to linebacker at the college level. The newest Blue Devil, Westray, will make a similar move, as he slides over to safety after playing mostly cornerback in high school. Westray earned offers this summer from Duke and North Carolina State after impressive performances on the camp circuit, where he was clocked with a 4.4 second 40-yard dash. Prior to his commitment, Westray had also received interest from Maryland, Penn State, Pittsburgh, and Wake Forest. The Duke coaching staff is excited to see Westray develop at safety, and believe they have stolen two very good prospects out of Maryland this year in Westray and DE Allen Jackson. Blue Devil fans can get a look at Westray's junior highlights here.

BDN caught up with the newest Blue Devil over the holiday weekend.

BDN: How did you arrive at your decision to commit to Duke?

Duke has always been there from day one, as part of my recruiting process as a player, as a student-athlete. They were one of the first schools to show me attention and they’ve been showing it consistently. My recruiting coordinator, Coach Zac Roper, has been very close to me, my head coach, and my family as a whole. That’s been a big part of my commitment. I’ve been to the campus twice, once for the camp and one on an unofficial visit. I enjoyed myself both times, I enjoyed the coaching staff and I enjoyed the whole vibe I got there. Another thing is one of my teammates from last year commited to Duke as well, Jonathan Woodruff.

BDN: How did you inform the Duke coaching staff about your decision and what did they say to you?

I was in the office of my high school head coach, and we called Coach Cutcliffe. He called Coach Cutcliffe directly and I said, “Coach, I want to be a Blue Devil.” He was excited, he was on vacation actually, and he said “well my vacation is going to be a whole lot better now, my dinner is going to taste a lot better tonight,” and stuff like that.

BDN: You’ve played all over the field in high school. Where do the coaches see you fitting in at Duke and what do you hope to bring to the program?

They put me at safety and I really hope to be an impact player for the team, get after this ACC championship.

BDN: Now that you’ve made your decision, what are your plans for the rest of your summer?

I’m just focusing on my football team, my high school football team, preparing, lifting weights, things like that.